Maldita.es has been recognized in the Best in Countering Disinformation category for its project La Buloteca, a collaborative platform that enables citizens to actively participate in identifying potentially misleading content by contributing tips that support its verification. This initiative strengthens a working model based on collective intelligence and citizen participation to tackle disinformation.
In addition, the foundation has also been selected as a finalist in the same category for SEMS Europe (Short and Effective Media Literacy Service), a project developed together with The Guardian Foundation (United Kingdom), Correctiv (Germany), and DeCheckers (Belgium). This initiative has promoted media literacy courses using microlearning techniques through WhatsApp chatbots in several European countries, incorporating evaluation and focus groups to enhance its impact.
The presence of two Maldita.es projects among the 17 finalists in this category highlights the growing role of initiatives aimed at combating disinformation and strengthening public trust in today’s media ecosystem. “Disinformation is constantly evolving and requires responses that can adapt accordingly. These nominations recognize a model based on citizen participation, education, and continuous innovation, where society is not just an audience but an active part of the solution. Investing in tools like La Buloteca or formats like SEMS Europe allows us to reach more people and respond more effectively in an increasingly complex environment,” said Clara Jiménez Cruz, co-founder and CEO of Fundación Maldita.es.
In this edition, the awards received 811 entries from 78 countries, of which 278 projects have been selected as finalists across 12 categories following an evaluation process carried out by an international jury of 61 experts. The winners will be announced on June 2 in Marseille, as part of the World News Media Congress 2026.
The Digital Media Awards recognize excellence in digital innovation in the news media each year, highlighting projects that combine technological development, measurable impact, and scalability. This year, the jury particularly emphasized the consolidation of data use, artificial intelligence, and audience engagement strategies as key drivers of journalism’s transformation. The awards are organized by WAN-IFRA, the world’s largest international press organization, representing 3,000 news publishing companies and technology entrepreneurs, as well as 40 publisher associations representing 18,000 publications across 120 countries. Its mission is to protect the rights of journalists and publishers worldwide.